Modest Coyne wants Cup campaign to remember

Nov 14 2007 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

SOME GOALKEEPERS hold onto memories of penalty saves like notches on a gun – but not Tranmere’s Danny Coyne

The Wales international is vague about how many spot-kicks he has stopped in a career spanning more than a dozen seasons with Tranmere, Grimsby, Leicester and Burnley. And there have been more than a few.

But giant-killing exploits in the major cup competitions are another matter. And if Tranmere’s FA Cup journey this season leads to an encounter with a major Premier League club, then Coyne acknowledges he will have a compelling reason to remember his penalty save at Chesterfield last weekend.

Rovers owe their place in round two to an outstanding save by Coyne from Jack Lester’s spot-kick in the 87th minute at Saltergate.

Without it, Tranmere will be looking at a replay with the Spireites in two weeks’ time instead of a guaranteed away tie at Bradford City on Saturday, December 1.

Coyne said: “We are away from home but it’s not such a bad draw for us. It’s a winnable tie.

“It is the last hurdle before the third round and the possibility becomes very exciting when the top clubs enter a cup competition.”

The 34-year-old from Prestatyn would love a new addition to his most cherished cup memory – winning against all the odds at Anfield six years ago.

Coyne was a member of the Grimsby Town side that overcame Liverpool in a League Cup third round tie in 2001.

The Mariners, then a struggling side in the division now known as the Championship, did it the hard way and won in style with a spectacular last-gasp goal from Liverpool-born striker Phil Jevons. They frustrated Gerard Houllier’s side for 90 scoreless minutes to take the tie into extra-time, then went behind to a Gary McAllister penalty in the 101st minute.

The 32,672 fans inside Anfield must have believed Liverpool were on their way through at that point. But Grimsby came back.

Coyne recalled: “Mitchell Broomes, who was on loan to us from Blackburn at the time, equalised with about seven minutes of extra-time to go.

“Then right on time Phil Jevons scored an unbelievable goal for us. He was about 35 yards out at an angle when he hit it. To beat a big goalkeeper like Chris Kirkland from such a distance was amazing. It was a great strike.

“That has to go down as the highlight of my career in the cups. But you never know what is around the corner. I would like to think we can do something special in the FA Cup this season.”

Coyne admits his penalty save at Chesterfield was a result of a hunch. He guessed correctly that Lester, the Spireites leading marksman, would put the ball to his right and kept the shot out at full stretch.

Coyne explained: “John Achterberg (Tranmere’s goalkeeping coach) does the pre-match study on any penalties the opposition have had recently.

“He finds the replays on the internet and we have a look at them on the Friday before a game.

“Jack Lester’s previous penalty for Chesterfield did not tell us much because he dinked straight down the middle.

“I just had a feeling on Saturday that he was going to put it to my right. If you go the right way you have a chance but there’s always an element of luck involved.”

Coyne added: “I have saved a few in my time – I remember saving two in one game for Burnley against Gillingham. But I don’t keep a record. It’s just part of the job.”